Stacker stop



Nov. 1o, 1931; L, R, TUFTS 1,831,271

STACKER STOP Filed Jan. 2. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 10, 193i l UNITEDsTATEs PATENT" ortica LESLEY `IR.. 'TUFTS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND FOLDING n MACHINE'COMPANYQ OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO STACKER STOP Application med Janilay 2, 17930. l serial N6f417,921.

This invention relates to improvements in stacker stops for paper handling machines, particularly folding machines. Stacker stops for the general purpose of keeping the sheets orsignatures delivered from va printingor folding machine in a regular and orderly stack and preventing the insertion ofk some of the sheets between the folds ofv other sheets, are known in the art, as for instance in Patent 1,191,787 to Hitchcock;

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of means capable of adjustment to accommodate sheets or signatures of different thicknesses, so asto permit only one such sheet or signatureat a time to pass the stop. i 4

, Another object is thejprovision ofcounterbalancing means for the stop so as to make the` mechanism extremely sensitive andcapable of being operated by thin lightweight sheets, and in addition means for adjusting or regulating the extent of the counter-balancing effect so that just the correct edegree of `sensitiveness may be secured,l regardless ofthe: weight or thickness of theV stop.

l Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment ofthe invention which, for the purposes of thepresentapplication, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Y i F igurefl is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion of a folding machine including a stacker, in whichv my improved .stacker stop is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is aplan view partly in section upon `the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewl on a llarger scale illustrating the stop mechanism in detail. Y

Fig. 4c is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and n Figs. 6 and 7 are detail perspective views A,Ofthe `two parts of the mechanism which signatures.

' In the drawings, `by way of illustrating one use of the invention, my stacker stop is shown as applied to a foldingmachine stacker. Stackers in which the invention is come intoactual contact with the sheets or "incorporated however may obviously be employed in various other forms of paper handling machines. In the present case, the frame ofa folding machine is illustrated at 10. 11 is a feed table, from which sheets are guided by deflectors 12 into a fold section comprising rolls 13 and fold, plates 14, this fold section operating upon thebuckle fold principle, as `will be Well vunderstood from an inspection of Fig. 1. f x

bheets leaving 'the fold section are received by a pair of feed rolls 15 .and by them fed `onto the upper surface of a stacker belt` 16 which runs upon rollers 17 and 18. AOn one endvof 'the roller 17 there is a gear 19 which meshes with a 'gear' 20 that is on the same shaft with a large" gear 21, the latter meshing with a small gear 22. All of these gears are carried by the stacker frame, yandtogetherconstitute a speed reducing drive. On the same shaft With gear 22 'there is a gear 9 which meshes vwith a gea-ron the upper feed roll 15, the latter being operatively connected in any suitable manner with a source of'power for the folding machine mechanism.`

The frame ofthe stacker comprises two side rails 23 which -slidablysupport a cross bar 24 that is adapted to be iXed inany desired position of adjustment along the rails 23 bymeans of set screws 25. On the'cross bar 24 I mount aslide 26 which likewise may be ysecured in any oneof various positions of adjustment by a'set screw 27. Two vertically spaced pins 28 and 29 are threaded or otherin the outer ends of pins 28 and 29 to retain the links 30 and 31 upon the pins.

Each of the links 30 and 31 .at the outer end thereof may be bent back parallel to itself, as indicated at 33 in Fig. 4, and the double end thus provided is drilled to take aA pin 34 or 35, as the case may be. These pins however also extend through aligned holes 36 and 37 in a U-shaped bracket 38 which straddles the outer ends of both links. The distance between pins 29 and 35 is the same as that between pins V28 and 34, while the pins 34 and 35 are spaced apart the same distance as pins 28 and 29. Therefore the ligure 28, 29, 35, 34 is a parallelogram, and the bracket 38 must always be vertical, assuming that the line 28, 29 is vertical.

Dependingfrom the bracket 38 is a plate 39, the lower end of which constitutes the paper stop. r)This plate is provided with a slot 4() adapted to adjustably receive a bolt 41 that extends also through a hole 42 in a verticalv tab 43 struck from a sheet metal shoe 44.v Projections 45 on either side of the tab 43 straddle the plate 39 and serve to hold the shoe against movement around the bolt 41. Relative vertical movement between the plate 39 and the shoe 44 is possible on account of the slot 40, and when a desired adjustment ris obtained the parts are held in position by means of a nut 46 on the bolt 41. Hence the height of the stop below shoe 44 may be regulated to suit signatures of different thicknesses.

Link 31 has an extension 47 beyond the pivot pin 29, and this extension is rebent as shown at 48. Between the extension 47 and Y its rebent end 48 I mount a pivot pin 49 upon which I support the lower end of a block 50. In this block is threaded the lower extremity of a post 51. The downward movement of the latter is limited by a cotter pin52, the post extending through a hole in a horizontal arm 53 against which the Cotter pin is adapted to bear, the arm 53 being integrally connected with a standard 54 which is mounted in a slot 55 in the slide'26 and secured in proper position by a set screw 56. A coil spring 57 surrounds the post 51 and bears at its upper end against a washer 58 directly beneath the arm 53. At its lower end ythe spring bears against a nut 59 threaded on the post 51 and provided with a notched perimeter for engagement by thefree end of a spring 60 which is looped at its lower end around the post 51. A nut 61 threaded onto the post serves to clamp the spring 60 onto the :top of block 50, and at the same time serves as a lock nut to prevent the turning of the post 51 in the block. As the nut 59 1s threaded upwardly upon the post 51 the spring 57 is compressed, and as the nut is threaded downwardly the tension on the spring is relieved.

In the operation .of the device signatures are delivered onto the surface of the belt 16 in more or less rapid succession. In Fig. 3 I have indicated a signature at A and a succeeding signature at B. As soon as the signature A is dropped onto the belt 16 the travel of the latter in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 moves the signature along until it strikes the stop at the lower end of plate 39. The forward edge of signature B is then fed onto the upper surface of signature A and is moved along bythe belt and by the impetus with which the signature is carried onto the 'belt from the folding machine or the like.

As soon as the forward edge of the signature strikesl the shoe 44 it cams thelatter up- Wardly until the stop rises farenough to clear signa-ture A, whereupon the belt 16 moves both signatures along until signature B strikes the stop. Y The travel of signature B thus has to do work, the amount of which depends upon the weight of the stop with its associated parts on the' right hand side of the pins 128 vand 29 in Fig. 3. The spring 57 counter-balances Ymore or less of this weight, the extent of the counter-balancingaetion depending upon the state of 'tension of `the spring, that is to say when signatures possessing little stilfness are being fed the tension of spring 57 should vbe made relatively high by threading thenut 59 upwardly to decrease the effective weight of the stop, while for stiffer signatures the tension of the spring should be relieved to increase the effective weight of the stop and make the apparatus less sensitive'. Theheight to which'the stop can move is limited by the engagement of the Cotter pin |52 with the top of arm 53. This height'ma'y be controlled by threading the post 51 up'or down in block 50, that is after the nut61l has been loosened. y

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim: 1

l, Inl a device of the character described, a stacker stop adapted to be supportedabove a horizontally movable conveyor, said stop being adapted to engage the advancing edge of a sheet or signature, means adapted to be engaged by an advancing superposed sheet or signature for lifting said stop, andmeans for counter-'balancing said stop.

2. Ina device of the character described, a stacker stop adapted'to be supported above .a horizontally movable conveyor, saidl ystop 3. In a device of the class described, a

stacker stop, means for 'supporting said stop above a substantially horizontal conveyor, said supporting means com rising a lever, a spring bearing'against sai lever for counlil) ter-balancing said stop, means for regulating the tension of said spring, and means adapted to beengaged by an advancing superposed sheet or signature for lifting said stop sufficiently to permit the next lower sheet or signature to pass.V

4. In a device of the class described, a stacker stop, means for supporting said stop above a substantially horizontal conveyor, said supporting means comprising a pair of links mounted to swing vertically, one of said links having an extension, means acting upon said extension for counter-balancing said stop, and means adapted to be engaged by an advancing sheet or signature for lifting said stop to permit the next lower sheet or signature to pass.

5. In a device of the class described, a stacker stop, means for supporting said stop above a substantially horizontal conveyor, said supporting means comprising a pair of equal vertically s aced links mounted to sheet, and means for adjustably mountingy said shoe upon said stop to accommodate sheets or signatures of diferent thicknesses. In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature. Y

LESLEY R. TUF TS.

swing vertically, w ereby the position of the stop is vertical, one of said links having an extension beyond its pivotal supporting point, means actingy upon said extension for counter-balancing said stop, and means for regulating the effective action of said counter-balancing means.

6. In a device of the class described, a stacker stop, means for supporting said stop above a substantially horizontal conveyor, said supporting means comprising a pair of equal vertically s aced links mounted to swing vertically, wliereby the position of the stop 1s vertical, one of said links having an extension beyond its pivotal supporting point, a spring acting upon said extension to counterbalance said stop, and means for regulating the tension of said spring. i

7. In a device of the class described, a supporting bar, a slide upon said bar, means for securingl the slide against movement upon the bar, a pair of vertically spaced links pivotally mountedupon the slide, a stacker stop pivotally connected with the outer ends of said links, one of said links being extended beyond its pivotal connection with the said slide, and a spring carried by said slide adapted to bear upon said extension to counter-balance said stop.

8. In a device of the class described, a supporting bar, a slide upon said bar, meansA for securing the slide against movement upon the bar,a pair of vertically spaced links pivotally mounted upon the slide, a stacker stop pivotally connected with the outer ends of said links, one of said links being extended beyond its ivotal connection with the said slide, a spring carried by said slide adapted to bear upon said extension to counterbalance said stop, and means for regulating the tension of said spring.

9. In a device of the class described, a stacker stop adapted to be supported above a eoV 

